Human's Are The Worst

No worries, I'm not going to bag on people this whole post. I gave it that title to grab your attention - unfortunately, a negative headline usually grabs our curiosity more than a positive one. But that fact alone sort of proves the title, yeah?

Okay, let's talk about humans!

Did you know that some people are afraid of other people? It's a very real condition or disorder called Anthropophobia. It is an irrational fear of people (or society) and causes a person severe anxiety when in the presence of another person, regardless of the situation. This phobia can significantly impact your everyday activities, such as grocery shopping or going to work.

Since this covid pandemic started I've noticed a shift in myself and others. It's an anxiety of being around other humans - even ones we deem "safe". Some may consider this social anxiety, which I have been struggling with personally. Sometimes it can be debilitating, which adds frustration to the anxiety.

My former therapist suggested that people are struggling with this because of the fear of rejection. The fear of rejection plays a huge role in a lot of people's lives even without a pandemic - whether it's real or not. The covid pandemic caused division in all types of social groups - faith, family, friends, coworkers, etc.

First, it was the masks and social distancing that caused division. I personally was scolded by an older gentleman at the grocery store. I wasn't wearing a mask and he yelled "stay back! You're not wearing a mask!" I was currently approximately 12 feet from him when he yelled at me. "You could get a $1000 fine for that, ya know!", he scolded me again. Then he began to lament to the cashier. This particular store was not enforcing masks, but merely suggesting them, and our health department was not enforcing the fines, and the cashier let him know.

My son, who was 11 at the time witnessed this whole fiasco. Thankfully, I was able to handle the whole thing with and by God's grace. I didn't yell back, I simply rolled my eyes and stayed back from the man and his wife. I explained to my son that his behavior is unacceptable and wrong, and all we can do is pray for them. It was a perfect example of someone living in utter fear.

My son also now struggles with social anxiety, although thankfully it's not debilitating.

The next thing that caused division was the jab. It's been disheartening for many of us to see families torn apart, friendships ending, and churches close because of the fear of death.

One thing that all humans are guaranteed in this life is death. Our bodies will fade, that's for sure, but where our souls go is up to us and God. We will die, and our loved ones will die. If we know Jesus, we love God, and we love others, then there's not any reason to fear death - our own or anyone else's.

I will eventually write an entire blog post just about the fear of death because it's such a real struggle for people, including Christians, and we need to talk about it. So stay tuned for that!

For now, I'll write a reminder from 2 Timothy 1:7 - "For God did not give you a spirit of fearfulness, but a spirit of love, power, and sound mind." A spirit of the fear of anything, including death, is from the enemy, dear one. Don't fall for his tricks!

We're meant for community! God created us to be in communion with Him and with other believers. We cannot be fully known unless we're willing to be vulnerable with safe people. This does take time and effort, but it's worth both. Going to church on Sunday and then grabbing snacks afterward is not vulnerable.

If you aren't part of a community of believers, I want you to know that you're not alone - I'm seeing and hearing, and personally experiencing, the same loneliness and some despondency. However, I also see God is turning things around in this hour! Hallejulah!

I want to end this post by encouraging you to reach out to ONE person that you feel is safe - even if it's a pastor. If you cannot think of someone to reach out to, pray! Ask God to show you right now who to connect with. Grab coffee with them, send them a greeting card, get on the phone, and chat for a bit - however you communicate, do that today.